Peanut Power-Ups
Have your go-to meals become ho-hum? Is your standard sandwich starting to feel a little white bread? Is your motivation level feeling as empty as your stomach?
Fret not, for we have assembled a simple, science-backed guide to help you step up your nutrition for late-night snacks, midday meals, and everything in-between.
Hungry for more? Us too. Now let’s dig in!
BREAKFAST
Swap Peanut Butter for Syrup
Flapjacks that Slap
Give your favorite breakfast carbs (like waffles or pancakes) some powerful protein.
And bonus? Peanut butter has shown the ability to reduce blood sugar spikes—so you’re less likely to crash than you would with syrup or other sugary toppings.
Peanut Butter Cold Foam
A Morning Coffee Crowd-Pleaser
In a tall glass, add 4 tbsp heavy cream, 2 tbsp 2% milk, 2 tsp peanut butter powder, and 1 tsp sugar. Use a milk frother to froth the liquid until it’s doubled in size, and pour over cold coffee.
Then, top with a little melted peanut butter or finely crushed peanuts.
Peanut Butter (or Powder) Smoothies
Be a Smoothie Operator
It’s no secret that peanuts, peanut powder and peanut butter can help you pump up your workout—but adding them to a pre- or post-workout smoothie gives you big benefits on-the-go.
Here’s a quick recipe that we love:
In a blender, add 2 cups cold unsweetened oat milk, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 2 Tbsp of light brown sugar and ¼ tsp vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, and add a whipped topping and crushed peanuts for a garnish.
Peanut Butter Granola
Make Granola Grand
Double-up on your protein by making your own peanut-butter-powered variation. Fair warning: it could be dangerously addictive.
PB&J Overnight Oats
You’ll be Over-the-Moon for these Overnight Oats
Take 1 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup plain almond milk and ½ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt. Add 3 tablespoons of strawberry or raspberry jam and 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter to oats and stir well. Then, refrigerate overnight, and look forward to a better tomorrow.
LUNCH & DINNER
PB-Powered Salad Dressing
Dressing-Up Salad Dressing
Don’t lose out on that last bit of peanut butter—just add in some of your favorite flavors right into the jar, give it a shake, and voila: a protein-powered drizzle of dressing deliciousness for your next salad.
You can try something like balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, but don’t be afraid to get adventurous!
Crunchy Peanut Slaw
Totally Slawsome
Be BBQ-ready with a quick side dish addition that gives your slaw some extra crunch and flavor. Here’s how to do it:
Mix ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Fold in ½ cup of chopped peanuts. Then, pour it over a 16-ounce package of shredded coleslaw mix. Refrigerate, then garnish with chopped peanuts before serving, and voila!
Add Peanut Butter to Hummus
Hummus Ho-Hum? Try This.
For a simple swap, trade out your tahini for peanut butter—it’s a match made in pita heaven. Try pairing it with your favorite fruits (like sliced bananas or apples) and a pinch of cinnamon.
Beef Satay with PB Dipping Sauce
Someone Say Satay?
As our Easy Beef Satay recipe will attest, peanut butter makes for an amazing base to a dipping sauce. Try ours at home, which just takes peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, coconut milk and lime.
Make Elvis Burgers
Eat like a King
It may sound unusual, but we think Elvis was onto something with this one: just add peanut butter onto your burger’s bun along with all your favorite condiments.
Mix with Noodles
Oodles (of ideas for) Noodles
Peanut butter-based sauces aren’t just great on the side—they can also provide the perfect flavor and texture for any number of noodle dishes.
For a budget-friendly meal, our Schezuan or Southeast Asian Sweet Chili peanut sauces go great on ramen noodles.
DESSERTS & SNACKS
A Substitute for Butter
Use a Better Butter
If you’re looking for a butter substitute that can actually help your cholesterol, good news: a 50/50 mix of oil and peanut butter can be swapped into many recipes.
Mix PB and Icing
Icing That’ll Make You Sing
Just add peanut butter to your favorite icing for a thicker, more indulgent topping that’s perfect for any cookie, cake, muffin or scone.
PB Dessert Pizza
Pizza, but for Dessert
Good news: you can make pizza into a dessert. Better news: you can use peanut butter to make it as hunger-satisfying as it is mind-blowing.
Just get a pizza crust, layer on peanut butter for a base, and then add your favorite toppings—like fresh fruits, cocoa nibs, or whatever your heart desires. Peanuts, maybe?
PB S’Mores
S’mores 2.0
If you love classic s’mores, you might write a song about this plus-up: try adding a generous dollop of peanut butter onto each graham cracker before adding the toasted marshmallow and chocolate—and then, thank us.
Drizzle on Popcorn
Add more pop to your popcorn
On your next movie night (or any night), try heating up peanut butter with a bit of butter and drizzling it over your popcorn.
This lets you add even more flavor, like chocolate and cayenne for a Mexican hot chocolate-inspired flavor, or just salt and pepper for a more classic taste.
Drizzle Over Ice Cream
The Tops in Toppings
Don’t read this until dessert, or you’ll never be able to focus on the rest of your day: mix equal parts smooth peanut butter and jarred hot fudge, and microwave until warm. Then, just drizzle over your favorite (lucky) ice cream.
Ice Cream Cone Seal
Peanut Butter Makes Ice Cream Better
Are sticky hands holding you back from enjoying an ice cream treat? Try using peanut butter in the cone as an ice-cream-proof seal to prevent leaks!
Fruit and Veggie Dip
The Perfect Dip
For a fruit dip that’ll have kids and adults running for the kitchen, try mixing your peanut butter with some yogurt, cinnamon and a dash of honey. Then, just pick your favorite fruits and/or veggies.